System and method of gamification of real-life events

ABSTRACT

There is a system and method for gamification of real-life events over a computerized network. The system includes an observer module configured to generate real-life data in response to observation of a real-life event. The system includes an interface engine module configured to operate an ongoing computerized game that includes game objects. The system includes an implementation module configured to receive an implementation instruction and automatically effect a real-world occurrence associated with the implementation instruction. The system includes a control module, including a processor, configured to convert real-life data from the observer module into a game object, provide the created game object to the interface engine module for injection into an ongoing computer game, and convert a player interaction into an implementation instruction and provide the same to the implementation module. The system includes a player module configured to permit a player to play the ongoing game.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This invention claims priority, under 35 U.S.C. §120, to the U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 61/539,176 to Andrew Jack Thomasfiled on Sep. 26, 2011, which is incorporated by reference herein. Thisapplication is a Continuation Application of, under 35 U.S.C. §121, andclaims priority to, under 35 U.S.C. §121, U.S. Non-Provisionalapplication Ser. No. 13/627,144, entitled System and Method ofGamification of Real-Life Events, by Andrew Jack Thomas, filed on Sep.26, 2012.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an ongoing computer game, specificallyto a system and method of gamification of real-life events.

Description of the Related Art

A video game is an electronic game that involves human interaction witha user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. Theelectronic systems used to play video games are known as platforms;examples of these are personal computers and video game consoles. Theseplatforms range from large mainframe computers to small handhelddevices. Specialized video games such as arcade games, while previouslycommon, have gradually declined in use. Video games have gone on tobecome an art form and industry.

The input device used to manipulate video games is called a gamecontroller, and varies across platforms. For example, a controller mightconsist of only a button and a joystick, while another may feature adozen buttons and one or more joysticks. Early personal computer gamesoften needed a keyboard for game play, or more commonly, required theuser to buy a separate joystick with at least one button. Many moderncomputer games allow or require the player to use a keyboard and a mousesimultaneously. A few of the most common game controllers are gamepads,mice, keyboards, and joysticks.

Video games typically use additional means of providing interactivityand information to the player. Audio is almost universal, using soundreproduction devices, such as speakers and headphones. Other feedbackmay come via haptic peripherals, such as vibration or force feedback,with vibration sometimes used to simulate force feedback.

Video gaming has traditionally been a social experience. Multiplayervideo games are those that can be played either competitively, sometimesin Electronic Sports, or cooperatively by using either multiple inputdevices, or by hot seating. Since then, most consoles have been shippedwith two or four controller inputs. Some have had the ability to expandto four, eight or as many as 12 inputs with additional adapters, such asthe Multi-tap. Multiplayer arcade games typically feature play for twoto four players, sometimes tilting the monitor on its back for atop-down viewing experience allowing players to sit opposite oneanother.

Many early computer games for non-PC descendant based platforms featuredmultiplayer support. Personal computer systems from Atari and Commodoreboth regularly featured at least two game ports. PC-based computer gamesstarted with a lower availability of multiplayer options because oftechnical limitations. PCs typically had either one or no game ports atall. Network games for these early personal computers were generallylimited to only text based adventures or MUDs that were played remotelyon a dedicated server. This was due both to the slow speed of modems andthe prohibitive cost involved with putting a computer online in such away where multiple visitors could make use of it. However, with theadvent of widespread local area networking technologies and Internetbased online capabilities, the number of players in modern games can be32 or higher, sometimes featuring integrated text and/or voice chat.MMOs can offer extremely high numbers of simultaneous players; EveOnline set a record with 54,446 players on a single server in 2010.

Some improvements have been made in the field. Examples of referencesrelated to the present invention are described below in their own words,and the supporting teachings of each reference are incorporated byreference herein:

U.S. Pat. No. 7,743,070, issued to Blumberg, discloses a system, method,and apparatus is provided for computerized management of a method ofcorporate, business or sports management by a remote party comprisingrelating a current database of an entity. For instance, in sportsmanagement substantially real time management is possible. Data of aplayer together with a historical database related to that player anddecisions can be transmitted. This is communicated between a centraldatabase processing resource and at least one remote party. A remoteparty is permitted to access the database and access designated datafrom the database, and input and output data. Voting and othermanagement of the player, team, or business is possible in substantiallyreal time or near real time by the remote party. A remote user can voteon financial compensation for a player, a coach or a team and/or for abonus for a player, team or game. Similarly hiring and firing decisionscan be made. Shareholders, fans or customers of an entertainmentbusiness such as sports can be more interactively involved in allaspects of management and ownership duties and thus be more thoroughlyentertained.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,154, issued to Utija et al., discloses anintelligent education and simulation system which is capable ofexecuting an optimized follow-up reeducation to the learner reflectinghis/her idiosyncrasy toward understanding in learning. The intelligenteducation and simulation system has an execution instruction to executea curriculum comprising a plurality of instruction courses regarding thesubject teaching of an educational object and its simulation-basedinstruction. According to this execution instruction, intelligentcomputer assisted instruction of the subject teaching and thesimulation-based instruction are implemented. The degree ofunderstanding of these instructions by the learner is evaluated, andaccording to the degree of understanding thus comprehended, a pertinentfollow-up instruction course(s) is chosen for reeducation. In this way,a pertinent reeducation instruction course(s) optimized for each learneris capable of being selected, and the time required for reeducation ofthe learner is minimized.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: 2011/0112662, by Thompson etal., discloses a system and a method is provided wherein real worldmonetary or cash values are placed on virtual world avatars, avatarpossessed or avatar purchasable virtual world items, environmentalvirtual world items and virtual world computer generated non-playercharacters (NPCs), such as slayable beasts, monsters, creatures, orhumanoids. These NPCs or other avatars (i.e., other players' avatars)have the ability to defeat and collect the cash value of avatars andtheir gear, thus gaining cash value for the NPC or the avatars. Thiscash value is then winnable by any avatar with the skill to best the NPCor other avatar. In this system and method, a real world cash value ofan avatar is established and can be increased or decreased based uponthe avatar's interaction with other avatars, the virtual worldenvironment and/or a player's investment of real world cash value.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: 2009/0017886, by McGucken,discloses a video game method and system for creating games where ideashave consequences, incorporating branching paths that correspond to aplayer's choices, wherein paths correspond to decisions founded uponideals, resulting in exalted games with deeper soul and story, enhancedcharacters and meanings, and exalted gameplay. The classical hero'sjourney may be rendered, as the journey hinges on choices pivoting onclassical ideals. Ideas that are rendered in word and deed will haveconsequences in the gameworld. Historical events such as The AmericanRevolution may be brought to life, as players listen to famous speechesand choose sides. As great works of literature and dramatic art centeraround characters rendering ideals real, both internally and externally,in word and deed, in love and war, the present invention will affordvideo games that exalt the classical soul, as well as the great books,classics, and epic films—past, present, and future.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: 2009/0307608, by Kalasapur etal., discloses a method for operating a local virtual world proxy isprovided. A virtual world view is received corresponding to a virtualworld client. Information about resources available to the virtual worldclient is obtained. Virtual representations of one or more resourcesavailable to a virtual world client are fetched. Then the virtualrepresentations are injected into the virtual world view. The virtualworld view is then forwarded to the virtual world client for display toa user of the virtual world client.

The inventions heretofore known suffer from a number of disadvantageswhich include being limited in function, being limited in use, notinvolving real-life interactions, not based upon real-life, not basedupon real-time environments, being limited in interaction, being limitedin application, failing to provide feedback, failing to educate, beingtoo distant from real-life events, failing to promote collaboration,failing to promote socially responsible behavior, not being relevant,not integrating with social media platforms, failing to servicenon-profit organizations, and the like and combinations thereof.

What is needed is a system and method of gamification of real-lifeevents that solves one or more of the problems described herein and/orone or more problems that may come to the attention of one skilled inthe art upon becoming familiar with this specification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been developed in response to the presentstate of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems andneeds in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currentlyavailable systems and methods of gamification. Accordingly, the presentinvention has been developed to provide a system and method ofgamification of real-life events.

According to one embodiment of the invention, there is a method ofgamification of real-life events over a computerized network. The methodmay include the step of receiving real-life data corresponding to anobservation of a real-life event. The method may include automaticallybuilding a game object using a processor of an R-to-G translationmodule, the game object may be sharing a characteristic with thereceived real-life data and may include a variably selectedcharacteristic that may not be associated with the real-life data.

The method may include the step of injecting the game object into anongoing computer game such that a player of the ongoing computer gamemay be able to interact with the game object. The step of injecting thegame object into an ongoing computer game may be performed such that aplurality of players may be able to interact with the game object. Themethod may also include the step of triggering a G-to-R translationmodule based on an interaction of a player with the game object. Themethod may include automatically creating an instruction using aprocessor of a G-to-R translation module, wherein the instruction mayrelate to deployment of real-life resources and may be derived from theinteraction of a player with the game object.

The method of gamification of real-life events over a computerizednetwork may include the step of generating virtual geographicinformation from real-life geographic information of the receivedreal-life data and associating the virtual geographic information withthe automatically build game object. The method may include notifying aplurality of players of the automatically created game object. Themethod may include the step of sensing a real-life event through asensor module and generating real-life data therefrom. The method mayfurther include collecting data about a real-life circumstanceassociated with the deployment of real-life resources and determining animpact of the deployment of the real-life resources, thereby formingimpact data. The method may include the step of receiving impact dataregarding determining an impact of the deployment of the real-liferesources and altering a game object according to a characteristic ofthe impact data received.

The method may include the step of processing a plurality ofinteractions with the game object, thereby determining a compositeinteraction and wherein the step of triggering the G-to-R translationmodule may be based on the composite interaction and the instruction isderived from the composite interaction. The method may also include thestep of notifying an expert of at least one of a characteristic of theautomatically built game object and a real-life data characteristic,receiving an instructional reply from the expert and displaying theinstructional reply to a player of the ongoing computer game. The methodmay further include the step of filtering a data feed associated withreal-life events for a predefined characteristic, generating real-lifedata therefrom and providing such real-life data to an R-to-Gtranslation module. The method may include the step of notifying aplurality of game players over a social media network of acharacteristic of the automatically created game object.

According to one embodiment of the invention, there is a system forgamification of real-life events over a computerized network. The systemmay include an observer module that may be configured to generatereal-life data in response to observation of a real-life event. Thegenerated real-life data may include geographic data. The observermodule may collect data about real-life circumstance associated withdeployment of real-life resources by the implementation module and maydetermine an impact of the implementation instruction, thereby formingimpact data. The observer module may filter a data feed associated withreal-life events for a predefined characteristic, generating real-lifedata therefrom and providing such real-life data to an R-to-Gtranslation module of the control module

The system may include an interface engine module that may be configuredto operate an ongoing computerized game that may include game objectswith which a player may interact. The interface engine module mayoperate an ongoing multiplayer game experience. The interface enginemodule may operate an ongoing multiplayer game experience associatedwith a social media network.

The system may include an implementation module that may be configuredto receive an implementation instruction and may automatically effect areal-world occurrence associated with the implementation instruction.The implementation module may distribute a sum of real-world currency toa recipient bank account in response to implementation instructions.

The system may also include a control module, that may include aprocessor, in communication with each of the observer module, theinterface engine module, and the implementation module, with at leastone such connection being over a computerized network. The controlmodule may be configured to convert real-life data from the observermodule into a game object, provide the created game object to theinterface engine module for injection into an ongoing computer game, andconvert a player interaction into an implementation instruction andprovide the same to the implementation module.

The system for gamification of real-life events over a computerizednetwork may include a player module that may be in communication withthe interface engine module and may be configured to permit a player toplay the ongoing game and wherein the control module includes an R-to-Gtranslation module and a G-to-R translation module.

Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, orsimilar language does not imply that all of the features and advantagesthat may be realized with the present invention should be or are in anysingle embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to thefeatures and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature,advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodimentis included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus,discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language,throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to thesame embodiment.

Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics ofthe invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or moreembodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that theinvention can be practiced without one or more of the specific featuresor advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additionalfeatures and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments thatmay not be present in all embodiments of the invention.

These features and advantages of the present invention will become morefully apparent from the following description and appended claims, ormay be learned by the practice of the invention as set forthhereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order for the advantages of the invention to be readily understood, amore particular description of the invention briefly described abovewill be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that areillustrated in the appended drawing(s). It is noted that the drawings ofthe invention are not to scale. The drawings are mere schematicsrepresentations, not intended to portray specific parameters of theinvention. Understanding that these drawing(s) depict only typicalembodiments of the invention and are not, therefore, to be considered tobe limiting its scope, the invention will be described and explainedwith additional specificity and detail through the use of theaccompanying drawing(s), in which:

FIG. 1 is a network diagram of a system of gamification of real-lifeevents, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram of a method of gamification of real-lifeevents, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a module diagram of a player module of a system ofgamification of real-life events, according to one embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 4 is a module diagram of an observer module of a system ofgamification of real-life events, according to one embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 5 is a module diagram of an implementation module of a system ofgamification of real-life events, according to one embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 6 is a module diagram of a control module of a system ofgamification of real-life events, according to one embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 7 is an interface engine module of a system of gamification ofreal-life events, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a method of gamification according to oneembodiment of the invention; and

FIGS. 9-12 illustrate prophetic examples of screenshots of a system ofgamification of real-life events, according to one embodiment of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of theinvention, reference will now be made to the exemplary embodimentsillustrated in the drawing(s), and specific language will be used todescribe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitationof the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Any alterations andfurther modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein, andany additional applications of the principles of the invention asillustrated herein, which would occur to one skilled in the relevant artand having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered withinthe scope of the invention.

Many of the functional units described in this specification have beenlabeled as modules, in order to more particularly emphasize theirimplementation independence. For example, a module may be implemented asa hardware circuit comprising custom VLSI circuits or gate arrays,off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic chips, transistors, or otherdiscrete components. A module may also be implemented in programmablehardware devices such as field programmable gate arrays, programmablearray logic, programmable logic devices or the like.

Modules may also be implemented in software for execution by varioustypes of processors. An identified module of programmable or executablecode may, for instance, comprise one or more physical or logical blocksof computer instructions which may, for instance, be organized as anobject, procedure, or function. Nevertheless, the executables of anidentified module need not be physically located together, but maycomprise disparate instructions stored in different locations which,when joined logically together, comprise the module and achieve thestated purpose for the module.

Indeed, a module and/or a program of executable code may be a singleinstruction, or many instructions, and may even be distributed overseveral different code segments, among different programs, and acrossseveral memory devices. Similarly, operational data may be identifiedand illustrated herein within modules, and may be embodied in anysuitable form and organized within any suitable type of data structure.The operational data may be collected as a single data set, or may bedistributed over different locations including over different storagedevices, and may exist, at least partially, merely as electronic signalson a system or network.

The various system components and/or modules discussed herein mayinclude one or more of the following: a host server or other computingsystems including a processor for processing digital data; a memorycoupled to said processor for storing digital data; an input digitizercoupled to the processor for inputting digital data; an applicationprogram stored in said memory and accessible by said processor fordirecting processing of digital data by said processor; a display devicecoupled to the processor and memory for displaying information derivedfrom digital data processed by said processor; and a plurality ofdatabases. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, any computersdiscussed herein may include an operating system (e.g., Windows Vista,NT, 95/98/2000, OS2; UNIX; Linux; Solaris; MacOS; and etc.) as well asvarious conventional support software and drivers typically associatedwith computers. The computers may be in a home or business environmentwith access to a network. In an exemplary embodiment, access is throughthe Internet through a commercially-available web-browser softwarepackage.

The present invention may be described herein in terms of functionalblock components, screen shots, user interaction, optional selections,various processing steps, and the like. Each of such described hereinmay be one or more modules in exemplary embodiments of the invention. Itshould be appreciated that such functional blocks may be realized by anynumber of hardware and/or software components configured to perform thespecified functions. For example, the present invention may employvarious integrated circuit components, e.g., memory elements, processingelements, logic elements, look-up tables, and the like, which may carryout a variety of functions under the control of one or moremicroprocessors or other control devices. Similarly, the softwareelements of the present invention may be implemented with anyprogramming or scripting language such as C, C++, Java, COBOL,assembler, PERL, Visual Basic, SQL Stored Procedures, AJAX, extensiblemarkup language (XML), with the various algorithms being implementedwith any combination of data structures, objects, processes, routines orother programming elements. Further, it should be noted that the presentinvention may employ any number of conventional techniques for datatransmission, signaling, data processing, network control, and the like.Still further, the invention may detect or prevent security issues witha client-side scripting language, such as JavaScript, VBScript or thelike.

Additionally, many of the functional units and/or modules herein aredescribed as being “in communication” with other functional units and/ormodules. Being “in communication” refers to any manner and/or way inwhich functional units and/or modules, such as, but not limited to,computers, laptop computers, PDAs, modules, and other types of hardwareand/or software, may be in communication with each other. Somenon-limiting examples include communicating, sending, and/or receivingdata and metadata via: a network, a wireless network, software,instructions, circuitry, phone lines, internet lines, satellite signals,electric signals, electrical and magnetic fields and/or pulses, and/orso forth.

As used herein, the term “network” may include any electroniccommunications means which incorporates both hardware and softwarecomponents of such. Communication among the parties in accordance withthe present invention may be accomplished through any suitablecommunication channels, such as, for example, a telephone network, anextranet, an intranet, Internet, point of interaction device (point ofsale device, personal digital assistant, cellular phone, kiosk, etc.),online communications, off-line communications, wireless communications,transponder communications, local area network (LAN), wide area network(WAN), networked or linked devices and/or the like. Moreover, althoughthe invention may be implemented with TCP/IP communications protocols,the invention may also be implemented using IPX, Appletalk, IP-6,NetBIOS, OSI or any number of existing or future protocols. If thenetwork is in the nature of a public network, such as the Internet, itmay be advantageous to presume the network to be insecure and open toeavesdroppers. Specific information related to the protocols, standards,and application software utilized in connection with the Internet isgenerally known to those skilled in the art and, as such, need not bedetailed herein. See, for example, DILIP NAIK, INTERNET STANDARDS ANDPROTOCOLS (1998); JAVA 2 COMPLETE, various authors, (Sybex 1999);DEBORAH RAY AND ERIC RAY, MASTERING HTML 4.0 (1997); and LOSHIN, TCP/IPCLEARLY EXPLAINED (1997), the contents of which are hereby incorporatedby reference.

Reference throughout this specification to an “embodiment,” an “example”or similar language means that a particular feature, structure,characteristic, or combinations thereof described in connection with theembodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the presentinvention. Thus, appearances of the phrases an “embodiment,” an“example,” and similar language throughout this specification may, butdo not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment, to differentembodiments, or to one or more of the figures. Additionally, referenceto the wording “embodiment,” “example” or the like, for two or morefeatures, elements, etc. does not mean that the features are necessarilyrelated, dissimilar, the same, etc.

Each statement of an embodiment, or example, is to be consideredindependent of any other statement of an embodiment despite any use ofsimilar or identical language characterizing each embodiment. Therefore,where one embodiment is identified as “another embodiment,” theidentified embodiment is independent of any other embodimentscharacterized by the language “another embodiment.” The features,functions, and the like described herein are considered to be able to becombined in whole or in part one with another as the claims and/or artmay direct, either directly or indirectly, implicitly or explicitly.

As used herein, “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” “is,” “are,”“characterized by,” and grammatical equivalents thereof are inclusive oropen-ended terms that do not exclude additional unrecited elements ormethod steps. “Comprising” is to be interpreted as including the morerestrictive terms “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of.”

FIG. 1 is a network diagram of a system of gamification of real-lifeevents, according to one embodiment of the invention. There is shown asystem of gamification of real-life events 10 including a control module12, an implementation module 14, an observer module 16, a player module18, and an interface engine module 20 in communication over a network22.

The illustrated system for gamification of real-life events 10 isconfigured to provide an interactive gaming platform associated withreal-life events. Real-life events may be, but not limited to: naturaldisasters, economic issues, political issues, health epidemics,pollution issues, social issues, military issues, natural resourcesissues, etc. The system for gamification of real-life events 10 isconfigured to implement real-life events, such as global or nationalissues, into a gaming platform for a plurality of players to interactand solve issues having real-life scenarios in real-life events.

The system for gamification of real-life events 10 includes an observermodule 16 configured to generate real-life data in response toobservation of a real-life event. The observer module is incommunication with an implementation module 14 and a control module 12over a computerized network 22. The generated real-life data may includegeographic data, climate data, financial data, economic data, healthdata, political data, etc. The observer module 16 is configured tocollect data about real-life circumstance associated with deployment ofreal-life resources by an implementation module 14. The observer module16 is configured to determine an impact of the implementationinstruction, thereby forming impact data. The observer module 16 isconfigured to filter a data feed associated with real-life events for apredefined characteristic, generating real-life data therefrom andproviding such real-life data to an R-to-G translation module of acontrol module 12.

The system of gamification of real-life events 10 includes an interfaceengine module 20 configured to operate an ongoing computerized game. Theinterface engine module 20 is in communication with the modules andcomponents of the system 10 over a computerized network 22. Theinterface engine module 20 includes game objects with which a player mayinteract therewith. The interface engine module 20 is configured tooperate an ongoing multi-player game experience over a computerizednetwork 22. The interface engine module 20 is configured to operate anongoing multi-player game experience associated with a social medianetwork.

The system of gamification of real-life events 10 includes animplementation module 14 configured to receive an implementationinstruction and automatically effect a real-world occurrence associatedwith the implementation instruction. The implementation module 14 is incommunication with the various components and modules of the system 10over a computerized network 22. The implementation module 14 isconfigured to distribute a sum of real-world currency to a recipientbank account in response to implementation instructions.

The system of gamification of real-life events 10 includes a controlmodule 12 that includes a processor, in communication with each of theobserver module 16, the interface engine module 20, and theimplementation module 14, with at least one such connection being over acomputerized network 22. The control module 12 is configured to convertreal-life data from the observer module 16 into a game object. Thecontrol module 12 is also configured to provide the created game objectto the interface engine module 20 for injection into an ongoingmulti-player computer game. The control module 12 is configured toconvert a player interaction into an implementation instruction andprovide the same to the implementation module 14.

The system for gamification of real-life events 10 over a computerizednetwork 22 includes a player module 18 in communication with theinterface engine module 20. The player module 18 is configured to permita player to play an ongoing multi-player computer game.

According to one embodiment of the invention, there is a networkconnecting each of one or more of an interface module, a control module,a players module, an observer module, and an implementation module.Accordingly, each of the modules may be connected in a manner thatpermits data to flow therebetween. The illustrated game system isconfigured to take real-world data, inject it into a game populated by aplurality of players, permit the players to interact therewith, generatea result, and implement the result in the real-world. Accordingly,players may be informed of real-world information while playing and mayhave a real-world impact on the same. One or more of these modulesand/or modules not specifically named herein, may perform any of thefunctions, features, benefits, steps, methods, and etc. describedherein.

In operation, the control module manages the system and may manageinteractions between other modules. The interface module provides anarchitecture where players may gather and operate. The players moduleprovides a user interface and/or client for users to interact with thesystem. The observer module observes, records, translates, and/orimplements real-world events/information for the system into game-worldobjects/events. The implementation module observes, records, translates,and/or implements game-world events for implementation in real-worldsystems.

Advantageously, such a system may do one or more of the following: helpspeople keep an interest in such a game, provides real-world relevanceand education, promotes globalization, promotes responsible behavior,promotes socially responsible behavior, mitigates problems fromaddictions (games, philanthropy, etc.), and the like. Such a system maybe embodied as a massively-multiplayer online game that may beinterfaced through a client on a user's machine, through an onlineportal, through a social networking infrastructure such as but notlimited to those provided under the names of Facebook, Google+,LinkedIn, or the like or any combinations thereof.

Such a system may be interfaced by a personal computer, personal digitalassistant, smartphone, dumbphone, television, tablet pc, or the like orcombinations thereof.

In one embodiment, there may be a user community that may be managed bya community module such as but not limited to the infrastructure ofsocial networking services (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.), MMORPG games(guilds and guild management tools, geographic divisions, racialgroupings, political groupings, etc.), and the like and combinationsthereof. A community may be defined by a location, a region, acharacteristic of its members (race, religion, wealth, beliefs, desires,name, etc.). Communities may include one or more characteristics (level,access to resources, access to tools, efficiency of use of resourcesand/or tools, location, size, reputation, pollution, wealth, influence,and etc.) controlled by a control module and such characteristics may beinfluence-able by players individually and/or collectively. A communitymay shift between phases of characteristics in a step or level likefashion and/or may shift along a continuum. Characteristics of acommunity may be associated with real-world data (pollution levels,weather, dramatic weather/global effects like tornadoes and earthquakes,disease levels, health and wellness levels, satisfaction levels,population, wealth, available natural resources, voting results, garbageoutput, recycling levels, energy consumption, consumer productconsumption, and the like and combinations thereof) and/or may beassociated with and/or influenced by actions of players, rules of thegame, limitations of the game architecture, and the like andcombinations thereof.

Players may be able to purchase virtual items in game, including but notlimited to equipment, abilities, characteristics, buildings,technologies, intellectual property rights, commodities, options,influence tokens, user accounts, upgrades, and the like and combinationsthereof. Players may be enabled to trade, sell, encumber, or otherwisetreat as property such virtual items. Such items may be merely cosmetic(i.e. changing hair color on an avatar) or may have in game effects(i.e. commodities may be used to increase a virtual health level of acommunity). Such items may be purchasable, directly or indirectly, byreal world currencies or equivalents. Transactions in real-worldcurrencies may direct real-world currencies in part or in whole to fundsthat may be controlled and/or influenced by an implementation module,such that translated in-game actions may determine utilization ofreal-world funds to solve real-world problems such as but not limited tohunger, disease, political unrest, public safety, poverty, strugglingeconomies, underfunded NGOs, and the like and combinations thereof.

There may be an expert/think tank system wherein experts may accessand/or be accessible to players such that players may be educated andinformation may be shared in either direction. Accordingly, ideas forsolving real-world problems developed through in-game efforts may beharvested and brought to the attention of experts in the fields relatedto such issues.

Players may be enabled to view actions and/or characteristics of their“friends” (those who they are associated with in-game and/or who mayhave selected to be associated with them).

Game complexity may be controlled by a control module and may be limitedby limiting available information, actions, collaboration, contacts,friends, and the like and combinations thereof. Such may be limited by“level” of an account or avatar, credits earned, accomplishments made,user selection, user age, and the like and combinations thereof. Gamecomplexity may adjust organically to a user as the user successfullyaccomplishes specific tasks and therefore is prepared for more complexgame-play. There may be a virtual Earth that may simulate and/or besimilar to the real Earth in identifiable respects (geography, size,colors, political regions, cities, races, populations, naturalresources, weather, climate, and etc.). One or more identifiablerespects may be determined by sampling real-world data and convertingsuch data into in-game settings/configurations. Users may be associatedwith particular locations on the virtual earth (cities, countries,regions, villages, etc.) that may be associated with real locations onthe real Earth. Users may be enabled to select and/or be randomlyassociated with particular regions, cities, villages and may be able tocommunicate with real-world communities in those locations throughinstant messaging, email, telephony, in-game actions that are translatedto real-world implementations at such locations and the like andcombinations thereof.

Wherein simulations of real-world problems are made available to hordesof game players and where game play is structured to promote thesolution of such problems, it may be possible to test real-worldsolutions on a mass scale with access to a diversity of minds nototherwise available in any other context. It is believed that novel andground-breaking solutions to some of the world's most serious problemsmay be discovered within the bounds of such a system as that describedherein. Such a system may be implemented in a manner to address issuessuch as but not limited to city planning, education, philanthropy,social justice, social problems, advertising, raising money, awarenesscampaigns, business decision making, disaster prevention, disasterrelief, self-improvement, personal planning, retirement planning,research, advocacy, travel, and the like and combinations thereof.

In one non-limiting embodiment, there is a fun and easy game whereinusers create their own community within the framework of real-worldconditions, relationships and/or events. It is the world we all live intranslated in to a virtual game. Players may begin by choosing a placeon planet Earth to develop a community and make it thrive. Locales inthe game will reflect the real world in topography, weather, culture,beauty and/or challenges. As conditions change in the real world it maybe simply represented in the game world. As a non-limiting example: Whena player chooses to develop their community in the Amazon Basin theinteraction with the game and others playing it may be massivelydifferent than a community at the North Pole. Players and/or may haveobjectives and/or the user may be faced with obstacles that arecurrently facing the Earth and its inhabitants. The solutions the usercreates for these obstacles and the funds raised by users overcomingthese obstacles may directly impact the corresponding real-world issueand/or locale and may do so in a manner that simulates, emulates, and/ormay be associated in some characteristic with one or more solutionsdeveloped in-game.

Gameplay may be free, subscription based, free with premium pay options,etc., and the user may choose to purchase value-adds using onlinecredits that may be purchasable with real-world currency in order tomore rapidly enhance their community. Part of the revenue generated bythese credit purchases may support real-world development in real-timethrough donations that may be automatically initiated or transactedaccording to instructions from a implementation module.

In one embodiment, a community is a single individual and/or individualuser account and such a community may include any of the features and/orinteractions described herein. Accordingly, a user account may have“levels” and/or other characteristics and/or any of the discussionherein relating to a community may apply to a single user as well. Useraccount characteristics may affect how a user influences and/orcontributes to another community, such as but not limited to altering aresource extraction efficiency, increasing a pollution level or rate byan amount different from other members of the community, and the likeand combinations thereof.

There may be a module that promotes networking and relationship buildingsuch as but not limited to by introducing via an interface (may besearchable) users and/or user accounts (avatars) that may have aparticular interest (in-game or otherwise) of meeting one another. Inone non-limiting example, characteristics of a community may beinfluenced and/or altered according to the characteristics of those withwhom they associate (mark as friends, includes as members, do businesswith, interact, etc.). A community may be influenced in itscharacteristics, opportunities, capabilities, and the like andcombinations thereof according to the communities with which itassociates and/or according to the characteristics of such communities.

Users may be asked questions and/or provided with choices and/oropportunities in-game. A system may track responses to such and/orinteractions with such and may associate such data with demographic dataof users and/or user accounts. Such information may be mined and/orpackaged.

Users may be introduced to each other in real-life and such may beconditional on meeting certain requirements, achieving certain levels ofperformance, displaying certain characteristics, displaying certaininterests and the like and combinations thereof.

A system may implement a technology tree, such as that used in the gameseries Civilization and/or those used in character ability progressionin the game Diablo by Blizzard Entertainment, P.O. Box 18979, Irvine,Calif.

In-game “leveling” or otherwise improving characteristics of a communitymay be regulated, throttled, controlled, or otherwise influenced byreal-world information such as but not limited to self-reportedaccomplishments of users, changes in real-world data feeds of anobserver module, verified accomplishments of users, and the like andcombinations thereof. Real-world accomplishments that may beoffered/required may be offered in a tree structure such that access toopportunities are limited to those you have made available by achievingsubordinate tasks/achievements. Rewards may be conditional on achievingcertain degrees of completion of such trees. As a non-limiting example,a tree structure may bifurcate across interest lines (reading classicnovels, viewing classic movies, performing volunteer work, learningemergency health skills, and etc.) and a requisite for being introducedto a person in real-life may be that you achieve an advanced level ofachievement in a particular tree fork. Accordingly, users may beintroduced to those who have a deep commitment to commonly sharedinterests/values.

There may be a map and/or display interface that may display friends,associates, relatives, enemies, business partners, and etc. graphicallyon a display in symbolic form using colors and/or symbols to representcharacteristics thereof and such may be graphically organized bycharacteristic(s) wherein location and/or distance from a focal pointmay be related to one or more in-game characteristics.

Individuals at particular locales (villages and etc.), subject matterexperts, game masters, customer support, and etc. may be providedavatars having special characteristics not duplicable by other usersand/or may have abilities and/or influence that is different from thatof remote users and such may toggle according to locale, region,community and the like.

There may be an interface that identifies users and/or characteristicsof users that a community may benefit from association with. Such may besearchable and may include opportunities to connect and/or communicatetherewith.

The following is a non-limiting prophetic example of a system accordingto one embodiment of the invention:

How May the Events be Found:

1. NGO partnerships—A system will be working with many non-profitorganizations around the globe, directly and/or through connectedsystems (banking, communication, warehouse automation, fulfillmentcenters, and etc.). When there is a need for funds or ideas to help anyof their projects they will contact System through a committee and/ormodule whose job it is to find real-world game content.2. System Committee/module—There will be a committee/module designed tosearch for game content around the globe. This content will bephilanthropic as well as mundane real-world drama (floods, high winds,earthquakes, etc.). There will be partitions of this committeedesignated to the different regions of the world so that game contentalways reflects (in real-time) the real-world.How May Found Events be Chosen:1. Relevance to the region of the users' gameplay—Events will befiltered by the region of the world they exist in. Users in the AmazonBasin won't experience floods that are occurring in Greenland.2. Size event and level of users' gameplay—Small events such aslocalized flooding and minor storms may not be included in the game atthe lower levels of gameplay. As the user progresses in the gameplaythese more minor issues may come up. There may be a System interfacethat talks with modules of local online news and weather stations andhave a running weather pattern that reflects these locales.3. Disasters or major successes around the globe—Users will be shownmajor disasters and cultural successes around the globe in order to bepart of them. During disaster times (i.e. Hurricane Katrina or theTsunami of Japan) 100% of such proceeds will go to these causes and suchdistributions may be according to interactions/choices/selections/etc.of users/communities in the game.What May Happen after Found Events are Chosen:1. The committee/module will give the necessary information to theprogrammers/modules who will incorporate them in to the game.2. Forums will be opened to chat about causes and solutions in the game.3. There will be many different outcomes to introduced problems as everyuser will think a little bit differently.4. The user will have to either have their community organically grow tothe point of overcoming obstacles or they can speed up the process bypurchasing value-adds.how Gameplay May Translate to the Real World:1. The real-world events that are introduced in to the game will belooked at by millions of users daily. The large amount of data gatheredby monitoring their solutions will be given to the appropriatereal-world organization so that they may better be able to solve theirreal problems.2. Utilizing each of Earth's unique global and regional challenges topower diverse and ever changing inter-game game play is the cornerstoneof Thrival. Leveraging each of the challenges presented within the game(delivered from the real world) the System will use Player interactions,ideas and solutions to stamp out issues arising within the game.3. The money paid to System through the purchase of value-adds and othermeans will go to directly funding the corresponding real-world cause.

Non-Limiting Example

A solar technology powering an orphanage in a rural village may beshowcased and possibly used in the virtual gameplay and then supportedin reality based off in game success which will be used as a testingground for new products to inspire, motivate and deliver hope to theworld. Funds raised by users purchasing in-game value-adds will also goto help fund the real-world event. Building interactions and game playoff of solutions instead of problems creates a mindset of hope asopposed to despair. Accordingly, the system is a conduit for changethrough hope, via the will and inherent desire for people to do good, wejust highlight those positive interactions.

In one non-limiting prophetic embodiment, there may be a game havingfour stages/phases of play with each stage giving the players moreoptions, opportunities, and challenges and/or wherein players create,manage, improve, deploy, fund, and/or the like their own virtualenterprise/community NGO, Foundation, for-profit charity, or SocialEnterprise or the like that may be associated legally, electronically,financially, or otherwise functionally with one or more real NGOs,foundations, for-profit charity, social enterprises or the like orcombinations thereof. Prizes may be awarded for accomplishments,achievements, victories, randomly, participation, and the like andcombinations thereof. Other embodiments may include any of the features,functions, benefits, conditions, results, and the like and combinationsthereof of the following described embodiment in any combination with orwithout other such features/etc. despite language to the contrary(explicit or otherwise) hereafter:

As a Non-Limiting Example

In the beginning of the game the User/player is focused on buildingtheir own community without the ability to connect globally. Once theUser has reached a point of developmental advancement sufficient to havesuch things as an airport or higher education they will be able tointeract with other players and scenarios on a global scale.

First Phase—Village—

The name of the game in the first stage is personal development. TheUser will be developing solely within his/her own village. This is atime of learning how to play and getting a feel for how to thrive withinthe game. The User will be building basic structures and will be givenbasic challenges that represent real challenges the globe is facingwithin a timeframe i.e. natural disasters etc. The challenges will bemainly environmental and human.

Ideas of helping one another and being kind will be introduced in thislevel of gameplay.

Second Phase—Community—

As the User progresses to the second phase of the game they will begiven more ways to create a unique community (colors and shapes ofbuildings, altering land features to in order for their community togrow etc.). The challenges will be more closely related to thereal-world events happening in their region, the solutions and fundscreated by the user will start to shape their community as well asdirectly assisting the corresponding real-world cause. The User is stillfocused on developing their own community. During phase two technology,industry, culture, etc. will evolve. Player caused events andconsequences to their actions whether positive or negative will begin tooccur (if the user decides to cut down a forest to build houses theymust manage it so as not to run out or if they choose to build a dam toincrease power they can now make a recreation area or a fishery etc.).As the User plays and creates they will be given more technologies andindustry opportunities. New opportunities will be given in a logicalorder as the User decides what kind of community they want. As anon-limiting example, if the User is given a choice between building anArt School or building a Flea Market the resulting string of decisionswill be altered and the direction of the community will start to takeshape.

The first ideas of philanthropy and social enterprise will generallystart in the second phase.

Third Phase—Global Community—

When the User has developed their community a point that would belogical to play on a global scale (if they have an airport and highereducation, or if they have proper communications or have explored enoughof their map). At this point they will be able to view other communitiesaround the globe (friends in their network or computer-run developedcities). In the third phase the user will be able to get ideas fromothers playing the game around the world about fun ways to develop theircommunity. All players networked together will be able to traderesources and the in-game monetary system. In this phase the challengesintroduced in to the game will very closely reflect those in the worldboth in timing and severity. The Users will be able to rally togetherand lend support to one another. As a reward for helping othercommunities the User will be given tokens of appreciation whether by theuser or by other players. (If there is a flood in Ecuador it will appearin the game and people with communities in that region will have to findideal solutions. If other players around the globe lend theirsupport/donate funds they will get pictures or video clips or notes ofappreciation and the funds/solutions will go to aiding the cause inreal-time). The incentive for helping other communities is two/fold:1—user is getting something from the community whether its trade orculture or are returning a favor 2—user is helping for the sake ofhelping and desire the token. When the gameplay is broadened to thispoint the user will be able to choose a region of the world to focus onand develop a relationship with. Depending on which region they choosethey will have a different set of products, commodities, technologies totrade.

Fourth Phase—Socio Global Community—

In a non-limiting embodiment, during advanced stages of game play, theuser may be introduced to many of the social problems/issues affectingthe real world. The user may have to find a solution to the socialproblems, such as but not limited to: obesity, drug use, abortion,crime, unemployment, eating disorders, bullying, etc. The game play maybe a testing ground for solutions to not only social problems butproblems affecting cultures throughout the real world.

In a non-limiting embodiment, players may be presented with one or moreobjectives and/or one or more problems/challenges. Players may be ableto overcome such through game play, skill, persistence, and/or throughpurchasing in game objects. Funds received by such a game may bedirected to an organization associated with the players virtualcommunity. The game may teach, through presentation of information,tasks, challenges or the like or combinations thereof, effective andsustainable development principles and other valuable skills. Credits orvirtual currencies from third party systems may be accepted by thesystem and may be used to purchase in game items and/or real worlditems. Players and/or people associated with the players virtualcommunity may upload media files that may be functionally associatedwith the virtual community. As a non-limiting example, a person livingin a village that benefits from a players virtual community may upload aphoto of the people of the village and that photo may be displayed inassociation with the virtual community in a picture library, aninterface background, a splash screen, or the like or combinationsthereof. Such media files may include data regarding challenges facingsuch a community and may impact game play through display and/or throughintegration in game mechanics. As a non-limiting example, photos of areal community devastated by a flood may be uploaded into a game systemand may be associated with a virtual community. Users may be offered theability to purchase (with real money, third party credits, in gamecurrency, or merely by percentage allocation or the like or combinationsthereof) a variety of supplies, services and the like and the choices ofthe players associated with that virtual community may be processed andutilized to direct a real-world support effort, such as but not limitedto determining the amounts, proportional or otherwise, of varioussupplies and services to provide and/or the timing for providing thesame. Advantageously, the collective will, intelligence, and desire of acommunity of players may be directed to management of disaster relief.Such a game may be embodied and/or interface with users as a smartphoneor tablet pc application. Such a system may include advertisingplatforms. There may be a system for matching philanthropic funds withgame player funds such as a system that coordinates a donation from alarge donor wherein the large donor funds are distributed in associationwith and/or contingent on matching (1:1 or in any other ratio and/orratios computed by formula, schedule, random number generation orotherwise determined) purchases of game players. Accordingly a largedonor may leverage their donation and players may experience a largerthan realistic real-world impact of their funds. Such a game may beassociated with a social network like Facebook and may periodicallyand/or conditionally generate “Wall posts” and the like.

Other embodiments may include any of the features, functions, benefits,conditions, results, and the like and combinations thereof of thefollowing described embodiment in any combination with or without othersuch features/etc. despite language to the contrary (explicit orotherwise) hereafter.

In one embodiment of the invention, the game play may include anaffiliation or association with a non-profit organization, wherein auser or a plurality of users may be able to donate funds or volunteertime through the game play to a non-profit organization.

In one embodiment of the invention, the game play may includetopographical interface with a global mapping interface module, such asbut not limited to Google Earth, manufactured by Google Inc., 1600Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, Calif., 94043. The game play mayinclude locations resembling real world locations, terrain, climates,environments, etc.

In one embodiment of the invention, a user may create a customizedavatar configured to navigate through the game play. The avatar may becustomized to include any feature, ability, personality, look, etc.customizable by a user.

FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram of a method of gamification of real-lifeevents, according to one embodiment of the invention. There is shown amethod of gamification or real-life events 30.

The illustrated method of gamification of real-life events 30 includesthe step of receiving real-life data corresponding to an observation ofa real-life event 32. Such may include but is not limited to directobservation of sensory data through a transducer (heat sensor,temperature sensor, wind speed sensor, electric field sensor, radar,etc.) through observation of a set of sensors, receipt through an RSSfeed, news data feeds, web crawling, web spiders, data filtering,database mining, and the like and combinations thereof. The real-lifedata is sent by an observer module 16 over a computerized network to acontrol module 12. The control module 12 is configured to automaticallybuild a game object using a processor of an R-to-G translation module,the game object sharing a characteristic with the received real-lifedata and including a variably selected characteristic that is notassociated with the real-life data. A game object may be embodied as anon-player character controlled by a script, a virtual location, acharacteristic modification overlay of another game object already inplay, a display layer, a scripted series of events/questions, aproblem-set, and the like and combinations thereof.

The method of gamification of real-life events 30 includes the step ofinjecting the game object into an ongoing computer game 36 such that aplayer of the ongoing computer game is able to interact with the gameobject, wherein the control module 12 sends data to the interface enginemodule 20 over a computerized network. Injection may be accomplished byupdating game engine interfaces of users with the additional gameobject, by altering a game data feed to players, by re-initialization ofa game server, by operation of a game object creator function within thegame, and the like and combinations thereof. The control module 12 isconfigured to notify a plurality of players of the automatically createdgame object based on real-life data 44. Such may be accomplished byupdating a display parameter, sending an email to affected players, mayoccur “naturally” by interaction of the game object with the playenvironment, and the like and combinations thereof.

The method of gamification of real-life events 30 includes the step of aplurality of players interacting with the game object and the ongoingcomputer game 37. The plurality of player modules 18 are configured tointeract with the game object and the surrounding ongoing computer gamethrough the interface engine module 20. This may include makingselections, giving commands, purchasing real/virtual objects, deploymentof resources, coordination with other players, trading with otherplayers and the like and combinations thereof. During such interaction avirtual decision 35 may be generated and/or recorded. Such a virtualdecision may be a composite decision among a group of players such asbut not limited to a result of a vote on how to solve a particularproblem associated with the injected game object, may be a compositedecision on how to allocate resources among a variety of solutionswherein each vote allocates a proportionate amount of resources, may bea decision of a single player, and the like and combinations thereof.Such a decision may be automatically culled from player interactionswith the injected game object and/or other game objects. The players maybe notified 21 in regards to the virtual decision and/or characteristicsthereof. An implementation module 14 may be notified of the virtualdecision and/or may otherwise have access to such and may then implementone or more aspects of the decision. Such may be accomplished by issuinginstructions to one or more people and/or computing devices for actionsto be taken in real-life and/or resources to be deployed, including butnot limited to instructions related to when, where, who, how and what todo. One or more people and/or computer controlled devices (robots, bankaccounts, vehicles, utilities, and the like and combinations thereof)may be agents of the players of the game by virtue of the virtualdecisions culled from their game interactions and also correlatetherewith 24. An observer module 16 may include one or more sensors,feeds, data-sets, databases, and the like that may be observing and/orotherwise associated with the agents, computer controlled or otherwise,and may thereby report on activities taken by the agents and/or resultsof such activities. Such observations by the observer module may beconverted to impact observation data, configured to provide impactinjection 27 into an interface engine module 20, by filtering,collating, coordinating, comparing, contrasting and the like data withprevious data, expected data, projections, and the like and may then bereported to players 28 through the control module 12 when it receivessuch an impact observation 25. Impact observations 25 may be convertedto game objects and/or may be used to modify an existing game object.Game play may continue such that incremental and/or recursive actionsmay be taken by players in regards to a particular game object/real-lifeissue. Advantageously, incremental solutions may be developed that takeadvantage of the addictive nature of game play combined with feedbackinformation and real-life resource deployment. The implementation module14 may also receive data from the observer module so that it maycorrelate 26 its activities with the data being sent back to the controlmodule. Such information may be used to clarify instructions, alterbehaviors, confirm execution of instructions and the like andcombinations thereof.

According to one embodiment of the invention, there is a plurality ofmodules in communication, wherein an observed characteristic of realityis observed and information associated therewith is transmitted to acontrol module where it is processed and a reality injection instructionset is generated and passed to an interface engine where such isimplemented into a game engine of a game having a player or players. Anotification of such an injection is sent to a player module to notifyplayers of an injected event and the players interact with the same asgame play. Such game play results in a virtual decision being generatedand passed to the control module where it is processed and anotification is generated that is passed to the players. A virtualinjection instruction set is generated by the control module and passedto an implementation module where it is processed and implemented.Correlation data is passed between the implementation module and theobserver module such that the system can recognize any changes incharacteristics that may occur over time and may require adjustments toactions taken by the system. The illustrated observer module takes dataregarding the implementation and processes such into impact informationand passes the same to the control module where it is processed intoimpact injection information and passed to the interface engine where itis injected into the game. Notification is provided again to the playermodules and game play occurs in association with the impact injectionimplemented in the game.

FIG. 3 is a module diagram of a player module of a system ofgamification of real-life events, according to one embodiment of theinvention. There is shown a player module including a player enginemodule 60, a configuration module 62, a data storage module 64, acommunication module 66, and an interface module 68.

The illustrated player module 18 is in communication with an interfaceengine module of a system of gamification of real-life events over acomputerized network. The player module 18 is configured to permit aplayer to play an ongoing multi-player computer game. Each of theillustrated modules is in communication with other modules describedherein to the degree needed and/or appropriate to perform one or more ofthe functions, features, benefits, steps, methods, and etc. describedherein.

The player module 18 includes a player engine module 60 in communicationwith the modules and components thereof. The player engine module 60 isconfigured to perform operations and/or calculations relevant to anongoing computer game, such as but not limited to processing graphicaldisplay information relevant to a point of view of a particular user.The player engine module 60 is configured to generate displayinformation to a point of view of a particular user based upon real-lifeevents or data, which may depend upon a geographical location of aparticular user. Non-limiting examples of a player engine module may bea system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,392, issued to Steiner; ora system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,657, issued to Dennison etal., which are incorporated for their supporting teachings herein.

The player module 18 includes a configuration module 62 in communicationwith the modules and components of the player module 18. Theconfiguration module 62 includes a listing of configuration settingsthat are relevant to operation of one or more modules of the playermodule 18. Non-limiting examples of such include: a metadata header of afile, a config file, an index, an xml file, and the like andcombinations thereof. The configuration module 62 is configured toprovide configuration settings to each of the modules and components ofthe player module 18, including saving settings for a particular user orcharacter. Non-limiting examples of a configuration module may be asystem as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,587,522, issued to Wu; or asystem as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,161,176, issued to Hunter et al.,which are incorporated for their supporting teachings herein.

The player module 18 includes a data storage module 64 in communicationwith the modules and components thereof. The data storage module 64 isconfigured to store data received and sent from the players/users of theongoing computer game. The data storage module 64 is also configured tostore data transferred between the players/users interacting with gameobjects and overall game play of an ongoing computer game. Data storagemodules may be databases or data files, and the memory storage devicemay be hard drives or tapes. A non-limiting example of a data base isFilemaker Pro 11, manufactured by Filemaker Inc., 5261 Patrick HenryDr., Santa Clara, Calif., 95054. The data storage module may include aflash storage drive. Non-limiting examples include: a HP Storage WorksP2000 G3 Modular Smart Array System, manufactured by Hewlett-PackardCompany, 3000 Hanover Street, Palo Alto, Calif., 94304, USA; a SonyPocket Bit USB Flash Drive, manufactured by Sony Corporation of America,550 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y., 10022.

The player module 18 includes an interface module 68 in communicationwith the modules and components thereof. The interface module 68 isconfigured to provide interface controls to a user to access content ordata of the game play of an ongoing computer game over a computerizednetwork. The interface module 68 includes a display module configured toprovide visual display to a player/user while interacting and navigatingthe content or data of the game play of an ongoing computer game over acomputerized network. The display module may be a television, computingdevice monitor, mobile device screen, tablet, etc. The display module isconfigured to provide video conferencing capabilities, wherein theplayer/user is in communication with another player/user through theinterface module 68. Non-limiting examples of a display/interface modulemay be a display/interface module as described in U.S. Pat. No.6,272,562, issued to Scott et al.; a touch screen interface module asdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,202 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,094,609, issuedto Arjomand, which are incorporated for their supported teachingsherein. The interface module may be a HTML player, client serverapplication, Java script application. A non-limiting example of aninterface module is FlowPlayer 3.1, manufactured by HowPlayer LTD,Hannuntie 8 D, ESPOO 02360, Helsinki, Finland.

The player module 18 includes an interface module 68 includes an inputmodule in communication with the communication module 66 and isconfigured to provide input means to a player/user. The input moduleincludes a keyboard or input device configured to provide inputcapabilities to a player/user to navigate and interact with an ongoingcomputer game over a computerized network. The input module may includean abbreviated keyboard configured to provide input capabilities to aplayer/user. The input module includes a microphone module configured toreceive and store voice data of a player/user, thereby providing voicetransmitting capabilities to a player/user in coordination with thedisplay module of the interface module 68. Non-limiting examples of aninput modules may be a keyboard module as described in U.S. PatentPublication No.: 2005/0099394, by Chou et al.; or a keyboard asdescribed in U.S. Patent Publication No.: 2006/0250367, by Tabasso etal.

The player module 18 includes a communication module 66 in communicationwith the interface module 68 of a player module 18. The communicationmodule is configured to provide communication means to a player/user ofa player module 18 over a computerized network. The communication moduleis in communication with a computerized network and is configured totransmit and receive data therethrough. The communication module 66includes wireless communication means, in addition to a direct linecommunication connection. The communication module 66 includes asecurity module configured to provide a secure connection to acomputerized network and transmission therethrough. Non-limitingexamples of a communication module may be but not limited to: acommunication module described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,463, issued toHyatt et al.; or a communication module described in U.S. Pat. No.6,133,886, issued to Fariello et al. which are incorporated for theirsupported herein.

FIG. 4 is a module diagram of an observer module of a system ofgamification of real-life events, according to one embodiment of theinvention. There is shown an observer module 16 including a data feedmodule 70, a data filter module 71, a selection module 72, adistribution module 73, a correlation module 74, an interface module 78,a configuration module 75, a data storage module 76, and a communicationmodule 77.

The illustrated observer module 16 is configured to generate real-lifedata in response to observation of a real-life event. The observermodule 16 is in communication with an implementation module and acontrol module of a system of gamification of real-life events over acomputerized network. The generated real-life data may includegeographic data, climate data, financial data, economic data, healthdata, political data, etc. The observer module 16 is configured tocollect data about real-life circumstance associated with deployment ofreal-life resources by an implementation module of a system ofgamification of real-life events. The observer module 16 is configuredto determine an impact of the implementation instruction, therebyforming impact data. The observer module 16 is configured to filter adata feed associated with real-life events for a predefinedcharacteristic, generating real-life data therefrom and providing suchreal-life data to an R-to-G translation module of an control module of asystem of gamification of real-life events.

The observer module 16 includes a data feed module 70 in communicationwith the modules and components thereof. The data feed module 70includes one or more data receivers, transducers, sensors, data spiders,or the like and any combinations thereof configured to observe andreport characteristics such as but not limited to temperature, windspeed, pollution levels, reported demographic statistics, news articles,crawled internet information, economic data, financial data, climatedata, environment data, and the like and any combinations thereof. Theillustrated data filter module 70 includes one or more systemsconfigured to review data and route/pass/transfer such data according toa schedule, screen, list, checklist, formula, and the like and anycombinations thereof over a computerized network. Non-limiting examplesof a data feed module may be a system as described in U.S. PatentPublication No.: 2004/0039801, by Srinivasan et al.; or a system asdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,382,286, issued to Cole et al., which areincorporated for their supporting teachings herein.

The observer module 16 includes a data filter module 71 in communicationwith the data feed module 70. The data filter module 71 is configured tofilter data sets from the data feed module 70 based upon real-lifeevents and player interaction with game objects of an ongoing computergame. The data filter module 71 is configured to sort, report, organize,manage, categorize, correlate, compare, scan, search, filter, separate,and combine data sets from the data feed module in preparation forinjection into an ongoing computer game. Non-limiting examples of a datafilter module may be a filter module as described in U.S. Pat. No.7,493,286, issued to Fienley et al.; or a filter module as described inU.S. Pat. No. 7,487,254, issued to Walsh et al., which are incorporatedfor their supporting teachings herein.

The observer module 16 includes a selection module 72 in communicationwith the modules and components of the observer module 16. The selectionmodule 72 is configured to flag data records to be of particularsignificance wherein they meet specific criteria that may be included ina configuration file, or otherwise available to the selection module 72.Such flags may identify desired routing paths for the data (i.e. sendthis to all virtual communities associated with Argentina and to allexpert user accounts associate with geology and volcanoes), and/or maybe otherwise used to process, route, destroy, combine, collate, orotherwise manipulate such data. Non-limiting examples of a selectionmodule may be a system as described in U.S. Patent Publication No.:2004/0196306, by Manto et al.; or a system as described in U.S. Pat. No.7,975,309, issued to Li, which are incorporated for their supportingteachings herein.

The observer module 16 includes a distribution module 73 incommunication with the modules and components of the observer module 16.The distribution module includes instructions for distributing data ofthe observer module 16 to other modules, user accounts, administrators,players, virtual communities, real-world communities/organizations, andthe like and any combinations thereof. The distribution module includesa data set matching recipients with recipient characteristics andcommunication addresses and protocols. Non-limiting examples of adistribution module may be a distribution module as described in U.S.Pat. No. 7,645,168, issued to Neumetzler et al.; or a distributionmodule as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,131,845, issued to Mueller etal., which are incorporated for their supporting teachings herein.

The observer module 16 includes a correlation module 74 in communicationwith the modules and components of the observer module 16. Thecorrelation module 74 includes instructions and/or systems for matchingassociated data, comparing/combining the same, and processing suchcomparisons to provide statistical or otherdata/conclusions/results/etc. such that actions of other modules andcomponents of the observer module 16 may be audited, results may becompared to efforts expended to obtain such results, changes incircumstances may be monitored, recorded and reported, and the like andcombinations thereof. Such a system may include controls for dataformatting, data conversion, statistical processing, reportingtemplates, error checking, and the like and combinations thereof.Non-limiting examples of a correlation module may be a system asdescribed in U.S. Patent Publication No.: 2005/0283337, by Sayal; or asystem as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,940,672, issued to Chen et al.,which are incorporated for their supporting teachings herein.

The observer module 16 includes a configuration module 75 incommunication with the modules and components of the observer module 16.The configuration module 75 includes a listing of configuration settingsthat are relevant to operation of one or more modules of the observermodule 16. Non-limiting examples of such include: a metadata header of afile, a config file, an index, an xml file, and the like andcombinations thereof.

The observer module 16 includes a data storage module 76 incommunication with the modules and components of the observer module 16.The data storage module 76 is configured to store data received and sentfrom the player/user of an ongoing computer game. The data storagemodule 76 is configured to store data transferred between theplayers/users of the ongoing computer game and the game play andinteraction therebetween.

The observer module 16 includes an interface module 78 in communicationwith the modules and components of the observer module 16. The interfacemodule 78 is configured to provide interface controls to a player/userto access content or data of an ongoing computer game over acomputerized network. The interface module 78 includes a display moduleconfigured to provide visual display to a player/user while interactingand navigating the content or data of the ongoing computer game over acomputerized network. The display module may be a television, computingdevice monitor, mobile device screen, tablet, etc. The display module isconfigured to provide video conferencing capabilities, wherein theplayer/user is in communication with another player/user through theinterface module 78.

The interface module 78 includes an input module in communication with acommunication module 77 and is configured to provide input means to aplayer/user. The input module includes a keyboard or input deviceconfigured to provide input capabilities to a player/user of an ongoingcomputer game over a computerized network. The input module may includean abbreviated keyboard configured to provide input capabilities to aplayer/user. The input module may include a microphone module configuredto receive and store voice data, thereby providing voice transmittingcapabilities to a player/user in coordination with the display module ofthe interface module 78.

The observer module 16 includes a communication module 77 incommunication with the interface module 78 and is configured to providecommunication means to the player/user over a computerized network. Thecommunication module is in communication with a computerized network andis configured to transmit data therethrough. The communication moduleincludes wireless communication means, in addition to a direct linecommunication connection. The communication module includes a securitymodule configured to provide a secure connection to a computerizednetwork and transmission therethrough.

FIG. 5 is a module diagram of an implementation module of a system ofgamification of real-life events, according to one embodiment of theinvention. There is shown an implementation module 14 including adecision receiver module 80, a correlation module 81, an implementationfeedback module 82, a reality interface module 83, a configurationmodule 84, a data storage module 85, a communication module 86, and aninterface module 87.

The implementation module 14 is configured to receive an implementationinstruction and automatically affect a real-world occurrence associatedwith the implementation instruction. The implementation module 14 is incommunication with the various components and modules of a system ofgamification of real-life events over a computerized network. Theimplementation module 14 is configured to distribute a sum of real-worldcurrency to a recipient bank account in response to implementationinstructions.

The implementation module 14 includes a decision receiver module 80 incommunication with the modules and components of the implementationmodule 14. The decision receiver module 80 is configured to receive“decisions” from another module, such as but not limited to a controlmodule and/or an interface engine module of a system of gamification ofreal-life events. “Decisions” as used herein mean instructions for areal-world implementation that may be the result of one or more gameactions/choices/selections of one or more virtual communities/players.Such instructions may be include contextual information such as but notlimited to associated real-world bank account numbers, NGO indexnumbers, amounts, QR codes of products/services to be purchased, and thelike and combinations thereof. Contextual information may be inferred bya sender identification, sender location, message protocol, messagetime, message timing, data ordering or the like or combinations there. Adecision receiver module 80 may simply receive the decision or mayfurther process the decision, change a data format or protocol, combinethe decision with other decisions, or the like or combinations thereof.Non-limiting examples of a decision receiver module may be a system asdescribed in U.S. Patent Publication No.: 2003/0069870, by Ras et al.;or a system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,478,076, issued to Owen etal., which are incorporated for their supporting teachings herein.

The implementation module 14 includes a correlation module 81 incommunication with the modules and components of the implementationmodule 14. The correlation module 81 includes instructions and/orsystems for matching associated data, comparing/combining the same, andprocessing such comparisons to provide statistical or otherdata/conclusions/results/etc. such that actions of other modules may beaudited, results may be compared to efforts expended to obtain suchresults, changes in circumstances may be monitored, recorded andreported, and the like and combinations thereof. Such a system mayinclude controls for data formatting, data conversion, statisticalprocessing, reporting templates, error checking, and the like andcombinations thereof.

The implementation module 14 includes an implementation feedback module82 in communication with the modules and components of theimplementation module 14. The implementation feedback module 82 isconfigured to provide feedback information to another module inassociation with one or more of a received decision, an implementeddecision, an implementation error, or the like or combinations thereofof a system of gamification of real-life events. Such a feedback modulemay monitor one or more processes described herein and may filter,process such monitored information as appropriate to generate feedbackinformation. Non-limiting examples of an implementation feedback module82 may be a feedback module as described in U.S. Patent Publication No.:2012/0078669, by Harkins et al.; or a feedback module as described inU.S. Patent Publication No.: 2009/0100050, by Erol et al., which areincorporated for their supporting teachings herein.

The implementation module 14 includes a reality interface module 83 incommunication with the modules and components of the implementationmodule 14. The reality interface module 83 is configured to convert oneor more decisions into a real-world implementation. Such may includecombining one or more decisions into a composite decision that may ormay not identically reflect the exact received decisions. As anon-limiting example, decisions may be categorized and/or flaggedaccording to the commonality of the decisions, such that outlierdecisions (decisions having few or no similar or identical decisionswithin a group) may be recognized, processed, stored, and/or otherwisegiven special attention. Such may advantageously identify creativesolutions and/or players that may be acting contrary to the purposes ofthe implementation module.

Accordingly, new ideas may be routed to experts and/or other processingand advantageously brilliant new ideas may be spotted and the LeroyJenkins players may be stopped from adversely impacting the real-world.Such a system may include a module for dispensing cash, routing fundsbetween bank accounts, ordering supplies, giving instructions to serviceproviders, displaying media, dispensing equipment, operatingmanufacturing facilities, and the like and combinations thereof, whereinsuch may be according to and/or consequential to one or more decisionsfrom a computer game.

The implementation module 14 includes a configuration module 84 incommunication with the modules and components of the implementationmodule 14. The configuration module includes a listing of configurationsettings that are relevant to operation of one or more modules of theimplementation module 14. Non-limiting examples of such include: ametadata header of a file, a config file, an index, an xml file, and thelike and combinations thereof.

The implementation module 14 includes a data storage module 85configured to store data received and sent from a player/user of asystem of gamification of real events. The data storage module 85 isconfigured to store data transferred between the player/user and a gameobject of an ongoing computer game. Data storage modules may bedatabases or data files, and the memory storage device may be harddrives or tapes.

The implementation module 14 includes an interface module 87 configuredto provide interface controls to a player/user to access content or dataof an ongoing computer game over a computerized network. The interfacemodule 87 includes a display module configured to provide visual displayto a player/user while interacting and navigating the content or data ofthe ongoing computer game. The display module may be a television,computing device monitor, mobile device screen, tablet, etc. The displaymodule is configured to provide video conferencing capabilities, whereinthe player/user is in communication with another player/user over acomputerized network.

The interface module 87 includes an input module in communication with acommunication module 86 and is configured to provide input means to aplayer/user. The input module includes a keyboard or input deviceconfigured to provide input capabilities to a player/user. The inputmodule may include an abbreviated keyboard configured to provide inputcapabilities to a player/user. The input module may include a microphonemodule configured to receive and store voice data, thereby providingvoice transmitting capabilities to a player/user in coordination withthe display module of the interface module 87.

The implementation module 14 includes a communication module 86 incommunication with an interface module of a system of gamification ofreal events. The communication module is configured to providecommunication means to the player/user over a computerized network. Thecommunication is in communication with a computerized network andconfigured to transmit data therethrough. The communication moduleincludes wireless communication means, in addition to a direct linecommunication connection. The communication module includes a securitymodule configured to provide a secure connection to a computerizednetwork and transmission therethrough.

FIG. 6 is a module diagram of a control module of a system ofgamification of real-life events, according to one embodiment of theinvention. There is shown a control module 12 including an injectionmodule 90, a R to R translation module 91, a G to R translation module92, a notification module 93, a configuration module 94, a data storagemodule 95, a communication module 96, and an interface module 97.

The illustrated control module 12, includes a processor, incommunication with each of an observer module, an interface enginemodule, and an implementation module, of a system of gamification ofreal-life events, with at least one such connection being over acomputerized network. The control module 12 is configured to convertreal-life data from the observer module into a game object. The controlmodule 12 is also configured to provide the created game object to theinterface engine module for injection into an ongoing multi-playercomputer game. The control module 12 is configured to convert a playerinteraction into an implementation instruction and provide the same tothe implementation module.

The control module 12 includes an injection module 90 configured togenerate instructions for inserting an injection object into an ongoingcomputer game. Such may include generating an interrupt message for aplayer regarding a new challenge, appending an opportunity (quest, job,problem, etc.) to an interface (Nonplayer character chat script, jobboard, quest list, etc.), subjecting a virtual community to one or morecharacteristic changes that may or may not be specifically associatedwith an identified cause (step-like increase in reported pollution ordisease levels and the players are not told why or even specificallyinformed that it has happened and have to figure out what it going on),or the like or combinations thereof. Non-limiting examples of aninjection module may include a game initialization engine such as aninitialization file, config file, variable data loader such as that usedin the game entitled Skyrim by Bethesda Softworks of Rockville Md.

The control module 12 includes an R to G translation module 91 incommunication with the modules and components of the control module 12.The R to G translation module 91 is configured to perform dataconversion on data reported from an observer module and convert it to aformat that is more appropriate to an ongoing computer game. Such mayinclude generating, combining, processing, filtering, and the like andcombinations thereof one or more reality objects and/or injectionobjects.

The control module 12 includes a G to R translation module 92 incommunication with the modules and components of the control module 12.The G to R translation module 92 is configured to perform dataconversion on game data of an ongoing computer game and convert it to aformat that is more appropriate to a real-world implementation. Such mayinclude generating, combining, processing, filtering, and the like andcombinations thereof one or more reality objects and/ordecisions/decision objects.

The control module 12 includes a notification module 93 in communicationwith the modules and components of the control module 12. Thenotification module 93 is configured to notify one or more playeraccounts, virtual communities, expert user accounts, third partyaccounts (NGO, government agency, supplier, service provider, village,etc.) and the like and any combinations thereof of the creation of adecision, injection object, other notification, data reported from anobserver module, constituents thereof and the like and combinationsthereof. Such may occur by email, text, ftp transfer, automatedtelephone message, wireless communication, and the like and combinationsthereof and may include metadata, a copy of the subject of thenotification, communication addresses to one or more other parties, andthe like and combinations thereof. Non-limiting examples of anotification module may be a notification module as described in U.S.Pat. No. 8,140,015, issued to Ohkita; or a system as described in U.S.Pat. No. 5,961,651, issued to Gittins et al., which are incorporated fortheir supporting teachings herein.

The control module 12 includes a configuration module 94 incommunication with the modules and components of the control module 12.The configuration module 94 is configured to include a listing ofconfiguration settings that are be relevant to operation of one or moremodules of a system of gamification of real-life events. Non-limitingexamples of such include: a metadata header of a file, a config file, anindex, an xml file, and the like and combinations thereof.

The control module 12 includes a data storage module 95 in communicationwith the modules and components of the control module 12. The datastorage module is configured to store data received and sent from aplayer/user. The data storage module is configured to store datatransferred between the players/users during game play of an ongoingcomputer game over a computerized network. Data storage modules may bedatabases or data files, and the memory storage device may be harddrives or tapes.

The control module 12 includes an interface module 97 in communicationwith the modules and components of the control module 12. The interfacemodule 97 is configured to provide interface controls to a player/userto access content or data of the game play of an ongoing computer gameover a computerized network. The interface module 97 includes a displaymodule configured to provide visual display to a player/user whileinteracting and navigating the content or data of the game play of anongoing computer game over a computerized network. The display modulemay be a television, computing device monitor, mobile device screen,etc. The display module is configured to provide video conferencingcapabilities, wherein the player/user is in communication with anotherplayer/user of an ongoing computer game through the interface moduleover a computerized network.

The interface module includes an input module in communication with acommunication module 96. The input module is configured to provide inputmeans to a player/user. The input module includes a keyboard or inputdevice configured to provide input capabilities to a player/user. Theinput module may include an abbreviated keyboard configured to provideinput capabilities to a player/user. The input module may include amicrophone module configured to receive and store voice data, therebyproviding voice transmitting capabilities to a user in coordination withthe display module of the interface module.

The control module 12 includes a communication module 96 incommunication with the interface module 97 and configured to providecommunication means to a player/user over a computerized network. Thecommunication module 96 is in communication with a computerized networkand configured to transmit data therethrough. The communication module96 includes wireless communication means, in addition to a direct linecommunication connection. The communication module 96 includes asecurity module configured to provide a secure connection to acomputerized network and transmission therethrough.

FIG. 7 is an interface engine module of a system of gamification ofreal-life events, according to one embodiment of the invention. There isshown an interface engine module 20 including a theme control module100, a reality object receiver module 102, a reality objectimplementation module 104, a game engine module 106, an interface module108, a configuration module 110, a data storage module 112, and acommunication module 114.

The illustrated interface engine module 20 is configured to operate anongoing computerized game over a computerized network. The interfaceengine module 20 is in communication with the modules and components ofa system of gamification of real-life events over a computerizednetwork. The interface engine module 20 includes game objects with whicha player may interact therewith. The interface engine module 20 isconfigured to operate an ongoing multi-player game experience over acomputerized network. The interface engine module 20 is configured tooperate an ongoing multi-player game experience associated with a socialmedia network.

The interface engine module 20 includes a theme control module 100 incommunication with the modules and components of the interface enginemodule 20. The theme control module 100 is configured to selectablymanage display of a plurality of media/multimedia files decorating theuser interface and/or giving color/flavor to the same. In particular,user interfaces generally include portions thereof that are decorative,including but not limited to protected white space, borders, decorativetransition elements, selectable graphical objects linked to commands,avatars, avatar decorations, environmental objects and/or effects,splash screens, and the like and combinations thereof. A theme controlmodule may include instructions for associating particular media files(images, video, sound, fonts, etc.) with such portions and/or forconfiguring size, space, location of the same. A theme control modulemay include a variety of predefined configuration settings or “skins”whereby the look of the user interface may be altered for beneficialeffect. This is particularly useful for a system that is intended towork closely with an individual user and images, formatting, colors,sounds, and the like that are familiar, comfortable, comforting, and/orhaving particular significance to the user will generally promote moreeffective use of the system. Accordingly, a single game engine may beutilized but adapted to a plurality of styles of virtual communities andsuch communities may be stylized as desired, such as but not limited toresembling the local color of a real-world location with which they areassociated.

The interface engine module 20 includes a reality object receiver modulein communication with the modules and components of the interface enginemodule 20. The reality object receiver module 102 is configured toreceive one or more reality objects and/or injections objects andperform data conversion, combinations, processing on the same and maypass data to a reality object implementation module.

The interface engine module 20 includes a reality object implementationmodule 104 in communication with the modules and components of theinterface engine module 20. The reality object implementation module 104is configured to implement one or more reality objects into an ongoingcomputer game, such as but not limited to implementing one or moreinstructions of an injection module, of a system of gamification ofreal-life events, that may be modified and/or guided by informationcontained in an injection object and/or a reality object.

The interface engine module 20 includes a game engine module 106 incommunication with the modules and components of the interface enginemodule 20. The game engine module 106 includes game architecture for oneor more games and/or may provide a framework of rules within whichplayers operate and play an ongoing computer game. Further, it mayinclude tools and/or components for the development and creation ofgames. Such may include middleware, display adapters, MMO engines, firstperson shooter engines, civilization-style engines, rogue-like engines,social network game engines and the like and combinations thereof.Non-limiting examples of game engines include a game engine as describedin U.S Patent Publication No.: 2006/0014585, by Neogi; or a game engineas described in U.S. Patent Publication No.: 2008/0039166, by Harris etal.

The interface engine module 20 includes a configuration module 110 incommunication with the modules and components of the interface enginemodule 20. The configuration module 110 includes a listing ofconfiguration settings that may be relevant to operation of one or moremodules of a system of gamification of real-life events. Non-limitingexamples of such include: a metadata header of a file, a config file, anindex, an xml file, and the like and combinations thereof.

The interface engine module 20 includes a data storage module 112 incommunication with the modules and components of the interface enginemodule 20. The data storage module 112 is configured to store datareceived and sent from a player/user of an ongoing computer game over acomputerized network. The data storage module 112 is configured to storedata transferred between the players/users during game play of anongoing computer game.

The interface engine module 20 includes an interface module 108 is incommunication with the modules and components of the interface enginemodule 20. The interface module 108 is configured to provide interfacecontrols to a player/user to access content or data of an ongoingcomputer game over a computerized network. The interface module 108includes a display module configured to provide visual display to aplayer/user while interacting and navigating the content or data of theongoing computer game play over a computerized network. The displaymodule may be a television, computing device monitor, mobile devicescreen, tablet, etc. The display module is configured to provide videoconferencing capabilities, wherein the player/user is in communicationwith another player/user through the interface module.

The interface module includes an input module in communication with acommunication module 114. The input module is configured to provideinput means to a player/user of an ongoing computer game over acomputerized network. The input module includes a keyboard or inputdevice configured to provide input capabilities to a player/user. Theinput module may include an abbreviated keyboard configured to provideinput capabilities to a player/user. The input module may include amicrophone module configured to receive and store voice data, therebyproviding voice transmitting capabilities to a player/user incoordination with the display module of the interface module.

The interface engine module 20 includes a communication module 114 incommunication with the modules and components of the interface enginemodule 20. The communication module is configured to providecommunication means to a player/user over a computerized network. Thecommunication module 114 is in communication with a computerized networkand configured to transmit data therethrough. The communication moduleincludes wireless communication means, in addition to a direct linecommunication connection. The communication module includes a securitymodule configured to provide a secure connection to a computerizednetwork and transmission therethrough.

FIG. 8 illustrates a method of gamification according to one embodimentof the invention. The illustrated method of gamification of real-lifeevents 30 includes the steps of receiving real-life data correspondingto an observation of a real-life event 32. The method 30 includes thestep of automatically building a game object using a processor of anR-to-G translation module, the game object sharing a characteristic withthe received real-life data and including a variably selectedcharacteristic that is not associated with the real-life data 34. Themethod 30 also includes the step of injecting the game object into anongoing computer game such that a player of the ongoing computer game isable to interact with the game object 36. The method of gamification ofreal-life events 30 includes the step of triggering a G-to-R translationmodule based on an interaction of a player with the game object 38. Themethod 30 further includes the step of automatically creating aninstruction using a processor of a G-to-R translation module, whereinthe instruction relates to deployment of real-life resources and isderived from the interaction of a player with the game object 40.

Further steps include, but are not limited to: generating virtualgeographic information from real-life geographic information of thereceived real-life data and associating the virtual geographicinformation with the automatically build game object; notifying aplurality of players of the automatically created game object; sensing areal-life event through a sensor module and generating real-life datatherefrom; collecting data about a real-life circumstance associatedwith the deployment of real-life resources and determining an impact ofthe deployment of the real-life resources, thereby forming impact data;receiving impact data regarding determining an impact of the deploymentof the real-life resources and altering a game object according to acharacteristic of the impact data received; processing a plurality ofinteractions with the game object, thereby determining a compositeinteraction and wherein the step of triggering the G-to-R translationmodule is based on the composite interaction and the instruction isderived from the composite interaction; notifying an expert of at leastone of a characteristic of the automatically built game object and areal-life data characteristic, receiving an instructional reply from theexpert and displaying the instructional reply to a player of the ongoingcomputer game; filtering a data feed associated with real-life eventsfor a predefined characteristic, generating real-life data therefrom andproviding such real-life data to an R-to-G translation module; andnotifying a plurality of game players over a social media network of acharacteristic of the automatically created game object. It may also bethat the step of injecting the game object into an ongoing computer gameis performed such that a plurality of players are able to interact withthe game object.

Such steps may operate using one or more of the modules described hereinand such modules may be in communication to the degree necessary witheach other to perform such steps.

FIGS. 9-12 illustrate prophetic examples of screenshots of a system ofgamification of real-life events, according to one embodiment of theinvention. The screenshots illustrate gaming environments, suggestpotential single player and/or multiplayer interactions with gameobjects, player avatar characteristics, real-world correlations betweengame objects and real-world data, presentation of real-life issuespresented in game form, cosmetic characteristics of a game, options andselections available for players and the like and combinations thereof.Such a game may include a variety of screen interfaces for interactingwith various game objects and receiving various forms of information onwhich to base game play and game interaction. Further, other playerbehavior may be visible in some screens and collaboration,communication, association and the like among players may thereby befacilitated.

It is understood that the above-described embodiments are onlyillustrative of the application of the principles of the presentinvention. The present invention may be embodied in other specific formswithout departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Thedescribed embodiment is to be considered in all respects only asillustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is,therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription. All changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

For example, although the figures illustrate a particular sequence ofgame play and real-life interaction, it is understood that variations onsequence, number, and timing of such processes, steps, methods, and thelike may be used and that such may be implemented within a great numberof simultaneous and/or sequential processes and that real life data maybe fed into the system in real-time from a great variety of sourcesand/or may be compressed, summed, averaged, differentiated, diversified,split, multiplied or otherwise made so that there is not a one-to-onerelationship between real-life issues and injected game objects. As anon-limiting example, observations regarding a single real-lifehurricane may be split into several hurricane derived game objects intoa plurality of game settings.

Additionally, although the figures illustrate particular screeninterfaces that are prophetic examples of game operation/interaction, itis understood that the interfaces thereof are plethoric.

It is also envisioned that real-life issues/data injected into the gamemay be masked or otherwise altered on injection to varying degrees suchthat players may or may not be aware of a causal connection betweenreal-life events and new game objects/circumstances. There may beconversion tables to convert real-life data to genre appropriate gamedata. There may be randomization tables for conversion of the same.

It is expected that there could be numerous variations of the design ofthis invention. An example is that the game may be a massive multiplayeronline game, a social media game, a single player puzzle game, a firstperson shooter-style game, a multiplayer strategy game, and the like andcombinations thereof.

Finally, it is envisioned that the components of the device may beconstructed of a variety of materials,

Thus, while the present invention has been fully described above withparticularity and detail in connection with what is presently deemed tobe the most practical and preferred embodiment of the invention, it willbe apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerousmodifications, including, but not limited to, variations in size,materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly anduse may be made, without departing from the principles and concepts ofthe invention as set forth in the claims. Further, it is contemplatedthat an embodiment may be limited to consist of or to consistessentially of one or more of the features, functions, structures,methods described herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of gamification of real-life events overa computerized network including a user-interface device, comprising thesteps of: a) receiving real-life data; b) automatically building a gameobject using a processor of an R-to-G translation module, the gameobject sharing a characteristic with the received real-life data; c)injecting the game object into an ongoing computer game such that aplayer of the ongoing computer game is able to interact with the gameobject through the user interface device; d) triggering a G-to-Rtranslation module based on an interaction of a player with the gameobject through the user interface device; and e) automatically creatingan instruction using a processor of a G-to-R translation module, whereinthe instruction relates to deployment of real-life resources and isderived from the interaction of a player with the game object throughthe user interface device.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprisinggenerating virtual geographic information from real-life geographicinformation of the received real-life data and associating the virtualgeographic information with the automatically build game object.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising notifying a plurality of playersof the automatically created game object.
 4. The method of claim 1,further comprising sensing a real-life event through a sensor module andgenerating real-life data therefrom.
 5. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising collecting data about a real-life circumstance associatedwith the deployment of real-life resources and determining an impact ofthe deployment of the real-life resources, thereby forming impact data.6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving impact dataregarding determining an impact of the deployment of the real-liferesources and altering a game object according to a characteristic ofthe impact data received.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step ofinjecting the game object into an ongoing computer game is performedsuch that a plurality of players are able to interact with the gameobject.
 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step ofprocessing a plurality of interactions with the game object, therebydetermining a composite interaction and wherein the step of triggeringthe G-to-R translation module is based on the composite interaction andthe instruction is derived from the composite interaction.
 9. The methodof claim 1, further comprising notifying an expert of at least one of acharacteristic of the automatically built game object and a real-lifedata characteristic, receiving an instructional reply from the expertand displaying the instructional reply to a player of the ongoingcomputer game.
 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising filtering adata feed associated with real-life events for a predefinedcharacteristic, generating real-life data therefrom and providing suchreal-life data to an R-to-G translation module.
 11. The method of claim1, further comprising notifying a plurality of game players over asocial media network of a characteristic of the automatically createdgame object.
 12. A system for gamification of real-life events over acomputerized network, comprising: a) an observer module configured togenerate real-life data; b) an interface engine module configured tooperate an ongoing computerized game including game objects with which aplayer may interact and including an input device through which theplayer interacts with game objects; c) an implementation moduleconfigured to receive an implementation instruction and to automaticallyeffect a real-world occurrence associated with the implementationinstruction; and d) a control module, including a processor, incommunication with each of the observer module, the interface enginemodule, and the implementation module, with at least one such connectionbeing over a computerized network, and configured to convert real-lifedata from the observer module into a game object, provide the createdgame object to the interface engine module for injection into an ongoingcomputer game, and convert a player interaction into an implementationinstruction and provide the same to the implementation module.
 13. Thesystem of claim 12, further comprising a player module in communicationwith the interface engine module and configured to permit a player toplay the ongoing game and wherein the control module includes an R-to-Gtranslation module and a G-to-R translation module.
 14. The system ofclaim 12, wherein the generated real-life data includes geographic data.15. The system of claim 12, wherein the interface engine module operatesan ongoing multiplayer game experience.
 16. The system of claim 12,wherein the interface engine module operates an ongoing multiplayer gameexperience associated with a social media network.
 17. The system ofclaim 12, wherein the implementation module distributes a sum ofreal-world currency to a recipient bank account in response toimplementation instructions.
 18. The system of claim 12, wherein theobserver module further collects data about real-life circumstanceassociated with deployment of real-life resources by the implementationmodule and determines an impact of the implementation instruction,thereby forming impact data.
 19. The system of claim 12, wherein theobserver module filters a data feed associated with real-life events fora predefined characteristic, generating real-life data therefrom andproviding such real-life data to an R-to-G translation module of thecontrol module.
 20. A method of gamification of real-life events over acomputerized network, comprising the steps of: a) receiving real-lifedata; b) automatically building a game object using a processor of anR-to-G translation module, the game object sharing a characteristic withthe received real-life data; c) injecting the game object into anongoing computer game operating on a computer in communication with auser interface having an input device on which a player may interactwith the ongoing computer game such that a player of the ongoingcomputer game is able to interact with the game object through the inputdevice; wherein the step of injecting the game object into an ongoingcomputer game is performed such that a plurality of players are able tointeract with the game object; d) triggering a G-to-R translation modulebased on an interaction of a player with the game object; e)automatically creating an instruction using a processor of a G-to-Rtranslation module, wherein the instruction relates to deployment ofreal-life resources and is derived from the interaction of a player withthe game object through the input device; f) generating virtualgeographic information from real-life geographic information of thereceived real-life data and associating the virtual geographicinformation with the automatically build game object; g) notifying aplurality of players of the automatically created game object; h)sensing a real-life event through a sensor module and generatingreal-life data therefrom; i) collecting data about a real-lifecircumstance associated with the deployment of real-life resources anddetermining an impact of the deployment of the real-life resources,thereby forming impact data; j) receiving impact data regardingdetermining an impact of the deployment of the real-life resources andaltering a game object according to a characteristic of the impact datareceived; k) processing a plurality of interactions with the gameobject, thereby determining a composite interaction and wherein the stepof triggering the G-to-R translation module is based on the compositeinteraction and the instruction is derived from the compositeinteraction; l) notifying an expert of at least one of a characteristicof the automatically built game object and a real-life datacharacteristic, receiving an instructional reply from the expert anddisplaying the instructional reply to a player of the ongoing computergame; m) filtering a data feed associated with real-life events for apredefined characteristic, generating real-life data therefrom andproviding such real-life data to an R-to-G translation module; and n)notifying a plurality of game players over a social media network of acharacteristic of the automatically created game object.